Picking himself off the floor, Harry dusted away the dirt and spiderwebs clinging to his robes. Shifting his now cracked glasses around his face, Harry gave his surroundings a glance. He was surprised by what he saw. Most would describe the items on display as creepy, but Harry found them rather neat. Without thinking, he began to explore the shop, eyeing the items on the shelf with interest.

"Potter!"

Harry spun around and his brows shot up at the sight of Draco standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked as he approached, but there didn't seem to be any of last year's malice in his voice. "Looking for something to curse Weasel with?"

"You think they have something here to do that?"

Draco gave a short laugh.

"Come on, Potter." He stopped in front of Harry. "You really shouldn't be here."

"Why's that?"

"People will think you're up to no good."

"I'm in Slytherin," Harry reminded the other. "They already think that."

Draco snorted as he crossed his arms.

"How'd you end up here anyways?"

"I think I said diagonally instead of Diagon Alley when using the Floo."

This caused Draco to actually laugh.

"Draco, who are you talking to?"

Harry's gaze flicked to behind his classmate and his eyes widened at the man walking towards them. He looked exactly like Harry would figure Draco would look when he got older. He had longer hair, but it was the same platinum blond and his robes, all black, were richly as they swept along the floor.

"Potter," Draco answered as he faced the man. "From school."

The man's eyes glinted with something Harry couldn't decipher.

"May I?" the man asked, but didn't wait for permission as he grabbed Harry and pushed the boy's bangs up to reveal the scar on his forehead. "You're scar is legend, as of course is the one who gave it to you."

Harry swallowed, but said nothing as he watched the man's cold eyes study him.

"You are friends?" The man released Harry to turn towards Draco.

"We know each other," Draco clarified.

"I see," the man faced Harry. "My name is Lucius. I am Draco's father."

"A pleasure to meet you, sir," Harry mumbled, giving a slight bow of his head.

"Such manners," Lucius's smile was as cold as his eyes. "Well, I shouldn't keep you. I'm sure you're in Diagon Alley for your school shopping."

Harry's gaze dropped down to the bag the man was holding and watched as Lucius moved it further behind himself. His eyes returned to the man's face and he nodded.

"Yes, sir."

He was aware Lucius's eyes didn't leave him until he was out of the shop. It didn't take him long to be found by Hagrid and returned from Knockturn Alley to Diagon Alley where he ran into Hermione.

"I'm here with my parents," she told Harry. "They're...Muggles."

Harry nodded, not sure what to say.

"Wouldn't tell a Slytherin that," Ronald's voice suddenly interrupted them. "He might curse you for it."

"Now that ain't nice, Ron," Hagrid spoke over them as Harry and Ron exchanged glares. "You two be nice to each other."

"Where were you?" Ron demanded after Hagrid took his leave. "Making my mom worry, you were."

"I got lost," Harry answered.

"Sure you did," Ron muttered. "Probably looking for your freaky Slytherin friends, weren't you?"

"We're not that freaky," Adrian's voice appeared out of no where as the older Slytherin stepped in beside Harry and tossed an arm over him. "Right, Higgs?"

Terence simply glared down at Ron as he approached and the redhead was quick to return to his family. Hermione looked between the three Slytherins with wide eyes.

"I'll just go," she mumbled.

"Wait!" Adrian called as she started walking off. "Hey! Granger!"

Harry turned to Terence as Adrian chased after Hermione.

"How is being grounded?" Harry asked the older.

"It's not too bad," Terence shrugged. "My last year anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"I graduate this year."

"You don't seem that old."

"Thanks..."

"If you're in your final year, why do you hang out with Adrian?"

"He's my friend."

"But he's younger than you! By a lot!"

Terence gave a sad smile. "When I joined Hogwarts, all my friends were in the years above me. The last of them graduated two years ago. Lot of the Slytherins thought I got held back. They didn't realize I was so young. Adrian and I became friends on the pitch. That's all."

Harry frowned, glancing down for a moment.

"But when you graduate, who will be Adrian's friend?"

"You, I suppose."

Harry thought about his and felt a tinge of guilt. Adrian was a nice guy, but he couldn't imagine being actual friends with him. They were allies. He remembered a comment Snape had made about Draco. He had said Draco didn't have friends, only allies. Was Harry going to be the same?

After a little while, they headed into Flourish and Blotts to pick up their school books where Harry was dragged into a photo shoot with Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Can't go anywhere with him," Ronald muttered to his sister as the group of Gryffindors and Slytherins attempted to leave the shop. "Famous Harry Potter."

"You're just jealous," Draco snapped as he walked down the stairs to stand in front of the group.

As if on instinct, Harry, Adrian, and Terence went to stand beside him and face the Gryffindors. The twins narrowed their eyes and Hermione looked trapped where she stood beside Ginny.

"What's this?" Lucius's voice descended upon them as he approached the group. "Ah, Draco, you really shouldn't even bother yourself with this lot. Red hair...vacant expressions..." He reached into Ginny's cauldron to pick up the book there. "Tatty secondhand books. You must be the Weasleys."

"Told you," Ronald growled to Hermione. "Slytherins will only ever stick up for Slytherins."

"Harry?" Hermione asked and Harry felt a stab of guilt in his chest.

He didn't get a chance to speak.

"Ah, it's Miss...Granger, isn't it?" He glanced at Draco, who nodded. "Yes, Draco's told me all about you, and your parents. Muggles, aren't they?"

She didn't answer, but she visibly tensed as Lucius continued to stare down at her.

Abruptly, Arthur Weasley arrived.

"Come on, children. Let's go outside for some fresh air," he encouraged.

"Well, well, well," Lucius brought Arthur's gaze to him. "Weasley senior."

"Lucius."

Lucius was still talking, but Harry wasn't hearing him anymore. Harry wanted to be anywhere, but there. It seemed he wasn't alone. Higgs was shifting anxiously on his feet and Adrian kept glancing at the door.

A clink brought Harry's attention back to the conversation, which had apparently ended.

The Slytherins were dispersing and Harry was quick to follow them out of the bookstore before he got an earful from Mr. Weasley.

"I've got to get home," Terence was saying to him as they walked along the street. "Adrian, you ready?"

"I got everything I'll need," Adrian answered and winked at Harry.

Harry just furrowed his brows at this.

They said their farewells again and Harry, not wanting to in the least, returned to the Weasleys.

"Didn't you see, dad?" Ronald was saying as Harry approached. "He was on their side!"

"He's still learning," Mr. Weasley was telling him. "And he'll make his own choices in life, Ronald. You can't blame him for sticking with his House. Especially when you haven't been too kind to him since the Sorting and don't act like you've been the friendliest you could. Percy told me all about your shenanigans."

Ronald cast his older brother a glare.

"But, Dad! He's agrees with them!"

"You don't know that," Arthur stated and then perked when he saw Harry. "Ah, Harry! Ready to go?"

Harry nodded, glancing at Hermione as she said goodbye to Ronald. She eyed Harry warily and then went to find her parents.

Inwardly berating himself, he followed the Weasleys down the street.